CAREC countries agree to develop common energy strategy

TASHKENT. KAZINFORM Energy ministers of Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) member countries have signed a joint declaration in Tashkent pledging to develop and implement a common CAREC 2020 energy strategy, the press service of the Asian Development Bank Office in Uzbekistan informed.

The declaration consists of ten points and reflects the commitment of countries to develop a common energy strategy for 2030 and to cooperate in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, which refers to «affordable and clean energy», KABAR reports.

The document has been signed in the build-up to the UN Summit on Sustainable Development Goals to be held in New York on Sept. 24-25.

The new CAREC 2020 energy strategy is being developed in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The goal of the strategy is to establish reliable, stable, sustainable, and reformed energy markets in the region by 2030 in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program was established at the initiative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2001 and is a partnership of 11 countries and development partners, working together to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated economic growth and shared prosperity.

The member countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, PRC, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia.